17 May 2024
Emerging farmers from more than 40 community food gardens across southern Africa – including Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia – sold their fresh and organically grown produce directly to the public as part of Shoprite and Checkers’ Market Day on Thursday, 16 May 2024.
“It was a great learning experience selling our produce to a bigger audience in a formal retail environment, and we thank Shoprite and Checkers for this opportunity.”
- Lindiwe Nzwana from Mahata Mmoho Agricultural Cooperative
“Customers were very supportive and came in numbers to buy our fresh vegetables,” says Victor Zanbuko from Jesus in Action Our Garden.
“We’re pleased that Checkers places so much trust in us to present our fresh fruit and vegetables, grown by our hands, to their customers,” added Nonhlanhla Mkize from Siyaphambili Womens Hub.
As part of its commitment to ensuring food security, Shoprite and Checkers supports more than 230 community food gardens and 4 000 home gardens through its Act For Change programme.
Market Day, launched in 2017, provides these small-scale farmers with a platform through which they can generate alternative income while gaining valuable retail experience.
Kunothile Agricultural Primary Co-operative Limited at Shoprite Amanzimtoti -Nqobile Mbonami & Standly Tolom selling to customers.
The gardens who participated in Market Day include:
Botswana:
- Adams Eden – Shoprite Gaborone
- Sharodan Farms – Checkers Airport Junction Centre, Gaborone
Eastern Cape:
- Phawu Agripak Cooperative – Shoprite Dutywa
- Silverdale Womens Development NPC – Shoprite Caxton St El, East London
- Siyalima Asidlali Co-operative – Shoprite Mini Mt Ayliff, Mount Ayliff
- Star Upliftment Food Garden – Shoprite Kingwilliamstown
- Wathint’ Abafazi – Shoprite Ziyabuya, Gqeberha
- Yizanazo Co-operative – Shoprite Amalinda, East London
Free State:
- Community Working Programme – Usave Koffiefontein
- Free State Rural Women Assembly Agroecological Hub – Shoprite Botshabelo Mall, Bloemfontein
- Hola Le Rona Integrated Educare Centre – Shoprite Harrismith
- Ntoanatsatsi Community Garden – Shoprite Setsing, Phuthaditjhaba
- Qholaqhwe Garden Project – Shoprite Mandela Park, Phuthaditjhaba
- Realeboga Bakubung Training & Development Agency – Shoprite Thaba Nchu
Gauteng:
- Carroll Shaw Memorial Center – Checkers Tambotie Mall, Randfontein
- Dithaka Dikopane Cooperative – Checkers Southgate, Johannesburg
- Ekuqaleni Genisis Farm – Checkers East Rand Retail, Boksburg
- LeanoAgri Food Garden – Checkers Greenstone Mall, Edenvale
- Mahata Mmoho Agricultural Cooperative – Checkers Hyper Vanderbijlpark
- Mmakgomo Agricultural Cooperative – Checkers Pretoria North
- Winnie Mabaso Foundation – Checkers The Glen, Oakdene
KwaZulu-Natal:
- Iqabungelihle Community Garden – Checkers Virginia Circle, Durban
- Khula Nathi – Shoprite Mount Edgecombe, Phoenix
- Kunothile Agricultural Primary Co-operative Limited – Shoprite Amanzimtoti
- Siyaphambili Womens Hub – Checkers Amanzimtoti
- Siyazondla kwaPhindangene – Shoprite Ulundi
- Velemseni Farming Group – Shoprite Estcourt
Nonhlanhla Mkhize representing Siyaphambili Womens Hub at Checkers Amanzimtoti Market Day 2024.
Lesotho:
- Action Lesotho – Shoprite Leribe, Butha Buthe
Limpopo:
- Marubini Multi-Purpose Women’s Primary Cooperative – Checkers Makhado Crossing, Louis Trichardt
- Ratanang Agricultural Cooperative Limited – Shoprite Mankweng, Polokwane
- We Can Women’s Development Co-op – Shoprite Paledi, Polokwane
Mpumalanga:
- Dikonyana Community Based Care Center – Shoprite Heidedal, Bloemfontein
- Ekuqaleni Genesis Farm – Shoprite Botleng, Witbank
- Ploughs and Feathers Co-operative Ltd – Checkers New Hazyview Junction, Hazyview
- Sibonile Agricultural Co-operative – Shoprite Acornhoek Mall, Acornhoek
Namibia:
Groot Aub Fresh Producers – Shoprite Lafrenz, Windhoek
Northern Cape:
His Mercy Soup Kitchen – Shoprite Kuruman
North West:
- Bakgatla ba Mosetlha – Shoprite Temba
- Kopanelo Projects – Shoprite Mafikeng
- Mokaila Community Project – Checkers Mafikeng
- Nthabiseng Skills’ Training Centre for the Disabled – Checkers Hyper Rustenburg
- PatCathy & Projects Co-Operative – Shoprite Potchefstroom
Western Cape:
- Jesus in Action Our Garden – Checkers Protea Heights, Brackenfell
- Mhani Gingi Vegetable Garden – Checkers Constantia
- Mthimkulu Community Development Programme – Shoprite Kleinmond
- Siyazama Community Project – Ricardo’s at Shoprite Home Office, Brackenfell
- Vulamasango – Checkers Weltevreden, Mitchells Plain